The Land Of Waste
by one day in the night
Summary: Destiny played a cruel joke to them. They met in a land of waste and fought to survive. Now, years later, they meet again different positions and life. Would they be able to come together despite her secrets and thirst for revenge against his family? AU NO bending. It's a bit Harsh?


She had never met a man like him, very very _tall_, taller than her papa and her papa was tall. She had never seen eyes like his before either, cold. She was glad her papa didn't have those eyes.

She had also never felt this gut wrenching pain in the pit of her stomach. Fear wouldn't even cover what she was feeling.

Papa had told her, he was a friend, he would help them, but Katara knew she _knew_ that that man wasn't good.

It was her fault she should have said something, her papa would have listened. But she didn't say anything, like the good girl her mama told her to be, she didn't say anything and just let her papa go on trusting that man.

It wasn't here papa's fault- he was just sad- that the man did all those bad things. It wasn't.

And she had to keep reminding herself of that. He wasn't well, if he were then nothing bad would have ever happened to them, he would have seen through that bad man's plans in time, he would have fought him and _won._

He would be here keeping them together. He would have taken Sokka and her somewhere close to the ocean where they could be together happy.

He wasn't, and he would never be.

Her breath hitched thinking that, papa would never come and get her. It hit her like a ton of bricks, papa was _gone_.

Sokka was in front of her saying something.

He had hidden her in a closet and told her to stay quiet. He wanted to protect her, but she wanted to fight with him, he wouldn't let her. So, she huddled in the closet listening to everything in the house.

It was quiet at first but not for long, cars could be heard all around their house.

She heard his battle cry, heard the loud thump of a body hitting the floor.

She had whimpered but not cried, she had to be strong.

Than thundering noises were getting closer to her, there were heavy footsteps blazing all over her home, crashing, loud deep voices cursing. Marring the beautiful home she had made with her family in this house.

Than, a click on top of her, she watched with trembling lips, frozen as the knob of the closet turned. Everything seemed to go so slow, the door opening, a big bulging man pulling her out of the closet and down the stairs from her hair.

She had never seen her home so wrecked before, vases, windows, chairs, tables, photos all thrown about the floor, before her in a shiny mess of long made memories, hard work and hopes.

Her father had worked so hard for this house, he wanted to make mother so proud, make them happy.

She saw as one of the man grab her brother like a rag doll and throw him in front of another man. The one pulling her hair throwing her in front of him too.

This man right here in front of her, he looked like a grim reaper with all the black clothes he was wearing, was one of the reasons for this mess and her pain.

Those cold eyes, held a calculating look about them. She could only imagine what he would do, and that scared her all the more, would he take them far away from their home? would he torture them? would he kill them? Or worse yet would he seperate them?

A cold feeling spread through her being, she couldn't leave Sokka he was all she had, all that was left of their small but happy family. He was her home now.

She looked at Sokka, he was laying on the ground right now, a busted lip and a black eye clearly showing upon his face.

She whimpered again, and looked back at the man. Wasn't he suppose to be a friend? Wasn't he suppose to help them?

He was talking, she could see his mouth moving and gesturing to the other man around them. But she couldn't hear him, it was all so painful, so confusing.

Why was he doing this? Papa never did anything bad to anyone. He was carrying, loving, he held no anger or envy towards anyone, just sadness from her mother death. So, why?

What did they do to deserve this?

She asked him, her voice small and meek, but she didn't tremble.

"Why are you doing this?"

He stopped talking and looked at her, for the first time his eyes weren't cold but she wished they were. This new look made her pain intensify.

He crouched before her, pulling her arm towards him, even then she had to stand on her tippy toes. Her face not so far from his, she could see him clearly, defined cheekbones, a goatee and his hair immaculately brushed back. His image forever implanted in the recesses of her mind.

"This is life little girl, nothing is fair, there is no reason for that pain you feel other than that simple fact."

Anger consumed her, her mind fogged. She glared at him, then spit on his face.

He looked surprised for a few second and she felt a sense of pride and elation for that but as soon as it came it went just like his expression.

He stood up cleaned his face with his hand, a black ring with a golden flame encrusted onto it glistened in the moonlight.

With a smirk he said, "Take the boy away, leave the girl here."

"No! Please I'm Sorry! I'm Sorry I'm sorry…" She grabbed onto the man's coat, begged him to not take her brother away. But he didn't move nor pull her away.

She saw as the man who had grabbed his brother before pull him over his shoulder ready to leave. In a last ditch attempt to keep her brother she ran to the man, she heard as the evil man commanded someone to catch her, she ran faster.

With all her might she bit the man holding her brother on his thigh, the man shrieked and dropped her brother. Immediately she went for Sokka and slapped him, trying to wake him up.

"Sokka wake up! They're going to take you!"

But he didn't move, for a second she thought her brother might be dead, but his shallow breathing told her otherwise.

An arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her away from her brother, she screamed and fought, kicking wherever she thought might hurt the guy holding her. But the arm just tightened around her, leaving her breathless and in pain she stopped fighting and screaming.

For the first time since that evil man came into her house she cried. With blurry eyes she saw as the other man flinged her brother like if he was nothing inside a car and drive away.

Everything was gone, everyone was gone. She was all alone.

Someone stood beside her, she didn't have to look to know who it was.

She glared at the spot were just a second ago her brother laid, causing tears to run down her cheeks quicker. She refused to look away, look at that man.

Another person stood before her, blocking her view. She just looked at the guys chest defying him.

A deep chuckled escaped from the man mouth, "Look at her, she's a mess!" he laughed.

She felt herself tremble the man holding her laughing along with the one in front of her. Her fist tightened but she didn't move, what was the point?

"Zhao, take her to Iroh." The man beside her told them.

"Iroh? That garbage dump?" The man infront asked.

He didn't receive an answer.

Curious she looked up -ignoring who she believes is Zhao- the evil man was walking away toward a black car right outside her front porch.

"You heard him to the dump you go little girl" he said amused.

She glared at him, her vision clearer than before, his hair was lighter than the evil man's, his eyes held amusement of the worst kind and so did his smirk.

"Come on we don't want Ozai to get mad at _us_."

With that the man holding her started to move outside Zhao leading the way, she saw three cars parked around her house, one was already moving away- it was probably that evil man's- while the other stood by with their headlamps on.

They (Zhao and the guy holding her) walked to the one farthest from her home.

The guy pushed her inside, she hit her head on the armrest but immediately tried to open the door when it failed she pushed to the other side of the car, with all her might, against her captor.

But being as small as she was he didn't even have to force her to stop, she felt drained of all strength and emotion. She had lost everything important to her.

Tears streamed down her face.

She felt the roar of the engine as Zaho drove them away from her house. Halfway out the property the car lurched forcefully, she heard ringing in her ears, from the side mirror she could see her house crumble in flames.

"Damn, those idiots didn't wait until we left!" Zaho cursed and hit the wheel. He drove faster.

Her house looked small, and smaller yet. The flames were wild and all consuming. It reminded her of the ring Ozai wore. Flames in the dead of night.

The ringing grew louder and louder. Until it became white noise.

She would hold this pain, she would hold this anger and use it. Right now she was a little girl but soon she wouldn't be and then she would make Ozai burn.


End file.
